Grand Rapids, MI Business Licensing & Operations: Secondhand Dealers (2026)

Chapter 101 of the Grand Rapids City Code requires anyone dealing in secondhand goods, from scrap metal and jewelry to bicycles and electronics, to hold a license from the City Clerk before operating. A license cannot go to anyone convicted of theft, dishonesty, or possessing stolen property, and the business location is subject to zoning. Licensees must fingerprint sellers, copy their photo ID, tag each item purchased, hold articles at least 15 days before resale, and transmit daily electronic transaction reports to the Police Department's computerized system by 11:59 p.m. Purchases are barred between 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. and from anyone intoxicated or reasonably suspected of dealing in stolen property. Certain low-risk sellers, like used bookstores and nonprofit resellers, are exempted from the fingerprint and full reporting rules but must still keep records open to police inspection.